1. Field of the Invention
In general, the present invention relates to hand carts and luggage carts that have folding features. The present invention also relates to the structure of collapsible walkers. More particularly, the present invention relates to assemblies that contain the features of both a luggage cart and a walker.
2. Prior Art Description
Many people benefit from the use of a walker as they walk. A walker provides physical support to a person so that a person can support his/her own weight with both their arms and their legs. This added support can prevent a person from falling if they mis-step or if their legs are otherwise unable to bear their full weight.
Although walkers are highly beneficial to many people, walkers do have some drawbacks. The primary drawback of a walker is that it is bulky. As such, a walker is very difficult to transport when it is not being used. Walkers are therefore difficult to move in and out of automobiles, restaurants seats and other confined spaces.
One of the most difficult places to use a walker is when boarding an airplane. Traditional walkers are large and bulky. As such, they are typically checked as luggage. However, if the walker is checked as luggage, it cannot be used to help a person board the airplane. As a consequence, people who otherwise could manage on their own with a walker are now required to be helped onto the airplane by airline employees who have a wheelchair. Rather than use a wheelchair, many people prefer to use a collapsible walkers. Collapsible walkers can be taken to the door of an airplane and checked with the flight crew in the same manner as a baby stroller.
In the prior art, there are many walker designs that are collapsible. Some of these designs may produce a walker small enough to check at the door of an airplane. However, another disadvantage of a walker is that a person must use both hands to grasp the walker. Therefore, if a person is using a walker, he/she has no free hand to carry or pull a carry-on bag. Accordingly, even if a walker is brought down a causeway to the door of an airplane, a user would not be able to bring anything other than the walker, since two hands are needed to grasp the walker.
In the prior art, people have recognized that the use of a walker prevents a person from carrying any secondary bag. This problem has been addressed in the prior art by adding carry bags to the frame of the walker. Such devices are disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 2010/0313924 to Cho, entitled Foldable Walker Apparatus. However, in order to keep the walker collapsible, the pockets have to be very thin and narrow. Accordingly, the pocket capacity of such designs are very small.
In U.S. Pat. No. 8,602,185, to White, the inventor herein, a walker is incorporated into the structure of a suitcase. Such an assembly is useful. However, such prior art devices require that a person travel with the bag that incorporates the walker. It also makes the travel bag heavier and bulkier than it need be if the walker is not being utilized.
A need therefore exists for a lightweight folding walker that can support a variety of carry travel bags as it is being utilized as a walker. In this manner, a person requiring a walker can board an airplane and still bring carry bags. These needs are met by the present invention as described and claimed below.